


A Date with High Risk

by Luvless34



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, On The Way To A Smile: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:29:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24023623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luvless34/pseuds/Luvless34
Summary: Don Corneo’s lackeys are searching for Avalanche’s whereabouts. While Barret doesn't seem concerned, Tifa Lockhart knew that something more insidious is being plotted. So, the young bar manager of Seventh Heaven decides to infiltrate the Corneo Mansion and get the answers straight from the mob boss himself.Though, she’ll need to win the part as the next Mrs. Don Corneo. Takes place in FFVII Remake after the bombing of Sector 5 reactor and what Tifa may have done to get herself into the mansion while Cloud Strife was separated from the rest of the group. One-Shot.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Kudos: 38





	A Date with High Risk

**Author's Note:**

> There's a bit of suggestive material regarding language, swearing, sexually implicit themes. Readers have been warned.

**A Date with High Risk**

Within the dimmed lighting of her apartment at Stargazer Heights, Tifa Lockhart was sobbing quietly into her hands. She had just returned from the bombing mission at Sector 5 with Barret Wallace, but she lost a comrade and her childhood best friend in the chaos. 

Cloud Strife was presumed dead after he fell as a result of the explosion at the Sector 5 reactor, and tumbled down into the slums beneath them. Throughout the pandemonium, Tifa screamed and begged Barret to let her go to rescue Cloud, but she was carried away, leaving Cloud to fend for himself. 

She felt sullen and grief-stricken. Tifa had just reunited with Cloud after seven years, and she felt fate was being cruel and ripped him away from her again. Her hometown was destroyed, her parents were dead and now, she was left alone again in the cold world, and she wasn’t sure how much more she could take. 

Tifa wiped the tears from her eyes and slowly rose from her seat. She wandered over to the closet and drew open her doors. Inside there weren’t too many different outfits for the 20-year-old to pick from, but she had to choose a dress for her “date” that evening. 

Her hands found the one ensemble that she had sought after: A short blue halter dress with lace detailing and plunging neckline that tied into a bow around her neck. Tifa felt her heart shatter at the sight, knowing that this was the dress she had chosen to wear for that outing she had asked Cloud to accompany her as a way of celebrating their reunion after so many years. 

* * *

_ “So, after you left the village,” Tifa asked gently.  _   
  


_ Cloud’s eyes widened at the sudden attention that the bar manager gave him in her small apartment.  _ _  
  
_

_ “I let you off easy down at the hall, but not this time,” Tifa said teasingly, but expectantly as she waited for Cloud’s explanation of what happened to him after all these years.  _ _  
  
_

_ Cloud nodded and then spoke to Tifa hesitantly.  _

_ “Well, when we were kids, remember how everyone wanted to be in SOLDIER?”  _

_ “Yeah, I remember they were in the news every day during the war,” she said slowly.  _

_ “By the time I made it in, they didn’t need heroes anymore,” Cloud said, walking over to her desk. “It wasn’t like anything we ever dreamt off. It was just...working for Shinra.” _ _  
  
_

_ He seemed to struggle with the next few words he wanted to tell Tifa, and the woman instead decided to slowly drop the conversation, noting his apprehension.  _

_ “I’m sorry,” Tifa said softly. “I know it’s a touchy subject.” _ _  
  
_

_ Cloud shook his head.  _

_ “Not exactly small talk, especially with someone you hadn’t seen in a while.” _

_ “Yeah, I know what you mean,” Tifa said, acknowledging the awkwardness that settled between the two of them. “Still, it’s kind of funny. Us going our separate ways, thinking that must be it and then here we meet again out of all places.” _

_ Tifa then shook her hands in excitement.  _

_ “You know what? We should totally celebrate. Let’s dress up and hit the town!” _

_ Cloud seemed caught off-guard by Tifa’s invitation and then replied, “Really?” _

_ She took a step back before crossing her arms.  _

_ “Yeah, I mean why not? It’ll be fun.” _ _  
  
_

_ Cloud looked at her quizzically. “Do you even have fancy clothes?” _

_ “Not like fancy, fancy, but I’ll figure something out,” she said happily. She then widened her arms before backing away and placing her hands on her hips. “What do you think will suit me, huh?” _ _  
  
_

_ The mercenary looked at Tifa up and down before making his recommendation.  _

_ “Something…refined,” he said finally.  _

_ “Yeah, I guess we’re not little kids anymore,” Tifa admitted. She then eyed Cloud before blushing. “Be sure to pick out an outfit that goes with mine, OK?” _ _  
  
_

_ Cloud seemed amused by Tifa’s response before he nodded. “Will do.” _

_ She was besides herself and started smiling. “This’ll be so much fun, you’ll see.” _ _  
  
_

_ “Yeah...maybe,” Cloud responded with a smile of his own.  _

_ Tifa clapped her hands together. “And on that happy note, I think it’s time we head back to the bar. Come on.” _

_ “Uh...you don’t need a break?” Cloud asked worriedly.  _

_ “Honestly, I feel pretty good,” Tifa said, smiling at Cloud’s thoughtfulness. “Marle isn’t always right you know.” _

* * *

Tifa sadly fingered the blue short dress that she had planned to wear that night. Now, she’ll be wearing it under completely different circumstances, and there was nothing else she could do but to pray and hope that Cloud would find his way back to Sector 7. 

_ “If he’s still alive,”  _ Tifa thought to herself. She tried shaking those doubts away. Normally, people who fell from that height would be killed on impact, but Cloud wasn’t an ordinary person. He was an ex-SOLDIER 1st class, and those folks were taught how to avoid getting killed from non-combat situations...at least, she hoped for that. 

She sat down at her desk, and pulled over a small cracked mirror to apply a little bit of make-up to her face. Tifa had been told throughout her life that she was beautiful and that she was a natural beauty in no need of being dolled up for any man. But, this time, Tifa had to pull out the stops for another man. 

Tifa tried collecting her hair into buns, a half-up style, and then settled on letting her dark tresses completely down and ran through the strands with a hairbrush. She tried doing some loose waves, but there was no time. Soon, a chocobo carriage would be coming by Seventh Heaven to collect her before heading to Wall Market. 

The bar manager shuddered at the thought of being whisked away to be considered for a private audience with Don Corneo, the crime boss over in Wall Market. She had heard his name pop up from one of the men who had been asking for Avalanche in Sector 7, and that didn’t settle well with her. 

Barret had asked Tifa to leave things be and to focus on their next bombing mission, but she couldn’t shake off the thought of why Corneo’s men were interested in Avalanche. 

* * *

_ Tifa was drinking from a whiskey glass while sitting behind the counter top at Seventh Heaven. Barret had been trying to cheer her up after Cloud fell from the explosion at Sector 5, but to no avail. Tifa instead nursed her bruises with a drink and tried to wipe her mind of the memory.  _

_ “C’mon, Tifa, buck up!” Barret said gruffly, patting Tifa on the shoulder. “SOLDIER boy is fine. You said so yourself that he’s the type of guy to get out of trouble. I don’t see why you’re acting so glum.” _

_ She smiled weakly, but then took another sip.  _

_ Wedge was over at a corner table, drinking a soda and eating a slice of cold pizza that was left over from one of their dinners the previous night. Jessie, who had recovered from her ankle injury, was spending some time with Biggs in preparing for another bombing mission.  _

_ When Tifa had told the rest of the group what happened to Cloud, they all took it pretty hard. Especially Jessie, who was openly flirting with the ex-SOLDIER and wanting to spend extra time with him. Now that he was gone, the group dispersed and tried to keep their attention on the cause.  _

_ Suddenly, the doors to Seventh Heaven were blown open and Jessie and Biggs pushed a man with a bloody nose into the bar. Tifa immediately jumped up while Barret loaded his gun arm before roughly taking the man by the cuff of his shirt and throwing him into a chair nearby.  _

_ The man groaned in pain, but then his head snapped at attention as Barret almost pounced on him, ready to get the answers he wanted straight out of his victim’s mouth...in whatever means necessary.  _

_ “So, I heard yall been asking about Avalanche,” Barret said cruelly. He eyed the man before punching the guy in the face, causingTifa to wince. “Why is that?” _

_ “What’s it to you?” The man said, choking on blood. He then gave Tifa a side-way glance and smiled. “See, I’ll give you more info if you let that girl over there give me some sweet service...if ya know what I mean?” _

_ Tifa shook her head in disgust as Barret frowned. Suddenly, he punched the man’s face again, this time more blood oozed from his broken nose. Tifa hated this, but at the same time, she was alarmed by why there have been more guys coming into Sector 7 slums asking about Avalanche.  _

_ “Wrong answer,” Barret said, winding up his fist again before landing another blow. The man spat out several broken teeth and grinned at his assailant.  _

_ “I’ll ask again...why yall asking for Avalanche?” He said before cracking his knuckles. A green Materia orb glowed in one of the armlet slots that Barret wore. Tifa’s eyes widened. “Tell me, or I’ll be roasting more than just nuts in the fire. If you know what I mean.” _

_ The man sighed and then decided to give Barret a half-assed answer.  _

_ “I was sent here,” he said. “By Don Corneo.” _

_ Jessie and Biggs seemed confused, but Barret’s eyes flickered slightly at the name. Tifa gave a low gasp and turned away to prevent anyone from seeing her expression. Don Corneo was infamous in Wall Market for running the seedy operations of the city there.  _

_ Prostitution, gambling rings and fight clubs....he had a hand in everything and would usually take in a woman for the the night and….well.  _

_ “Corneo? What does that son of a bitch want with Avalanche?” Barret asked. “Talk.” _

_ “Again...let me have some alone time with that skank over there,” the man motioned to Tifa. “I’ll tell you what I know.” _

_ No one who was a friend of Avalanche had been giving straight answers to these strangers, but Tifa knew that something was up. Most people knew about Avalanche, sans a few folks who might give away their secrets. She remembered how coldly Cloud had almost been willing to silence Johnny and several Shinra grunts who had been patrolling the area.  _

_ Barret roared and threatened to drive the man’s face through one of the tables nearby, but Tifa quickly ran over and grasped one of his massive arms before he had a chance to destroy his victim.  _

_ “Barret…” Tifa said, shaking her head. “Please...No more.” _

_ She then gently gave the victim a pat on the shoulder, leaned in, and then punched him in the stomach without much remorse. The man gasped in pain before blacking out.  _

_ Barret looked at Tifa, noting her hesitation, sighed. He then backed away, letting Jessie and Biggs hold onto their captive before he motioned to them to remove the man out of the bar without causing too much of a scene.  _

_ “Should’ve let me finish him off,” Barret grumbled. “Don’t want no one talking about any woman like that. Especially you.” _

_ “I know, and I appreciate it,” Tifa said gently. “But, now we know that Corneo sent his goons out here asking about Avalanche...but we still don’t know why.” _

_ “Does it matter?” Barret asked with a sigh. “We got bigger things to worry about than some punk ass bitch in the Wall Market looking for us. Especially me. We’ve had people threaten us before, and they usually just have empty words and never follow through. Don’t worry about this, Tifa. Seriously.” _

_ “Barret---” _

_ “Again, Tifa...Let. It. Go.” _

_ Barret shook his head in frustration before bounding upstairs, presumably looking to let off his steam by spending some alone time with Marlene, leaving Tifa alone in the restaurant and bar consumed with her thoughts.  _

* * *

For the last hour, Tifa had been sitting at home contemplating the things that the man had said about Corneo’s intentions of seeking out Avalanche and their whereabouts. He had to have been a customer at Seventh Heaven before. She recognized him as one of her regulars, but he never seemed that interested in the drinks or the food on the menu. 

No, the goon had been asking innocent-enough questions about Seventh Heaven, who owned it and how long they’re usually open for. Tifa had been trained since her early days in Avalanche never to give too much information on the doings that they’ve been doing under the guise of a bar in the slums. 

This time however, the intentions of the goon searching for Avalanche raised red flags for her and Tifa felt determined to figure out why Corneo was seeking out the group now, when he himself never really bothered with them before. 

She had heard that the mob boss loved women, especially ones that he could take with him into bed, and Tifa was notified that the next round of Sector 7 girls were being taken to Wall Market for consideration. 

They call it “auditions” where Corneo would pick a girl and sleep with them. Depending how much he liked them, sometimes they’d only last one night or at most, a week. That was Tifa’s ticket into Wall Market and to find Corneo and maybe...during an intimate moment, would be able to get the information that she wanted. 

She had no intentions of being held there as the next Mrs. Don Corneo, but she had no other choice. Barret was not gonna seek out anymore about why Corneo was suddenly keen on Avalanche, and Tifa didn’t want him to try and stop her. So, she was going on this mission solo. 

After slipping a note expressing interest in “auditioning” to someone with connections to Wall Market discreetly, they notified Tifa that a carriage would come by to pick her up later that evening. She was required to wear “a sexy outfit” for Mr. Corneo. 

Luckily, no one really questioned Tifa about her intentions and the girl was mostly left alone to prepare for the night without too many disruptions. 

Tifa gently swept some dark eyeshadow over her eyelids before curling her eyelashes and applying mascara onto them. She then puckered her lips before painting them over with a high-shine glass-like lip gloss that made her look almost porcelain. 

Tifa then stood up and took a last look at herself in the mirror. She looked like a “bombshell” as many had claimed she was. The woman wasn’t one to really draw attention to herself for her appearance, but Tifa knew that tonight had to be an exception. She needed Don Corneo to pick her, otherwise, it would all be for nothing. 

She sprayed some perfume onto her swan-like neck and breathed in the alluring smell of gardenias and sandalwood. It was seductive and made her choke a little bit at the overwhelming fragrance. She was more used to just washing her body with soap, but she knew that a fragrance would leave a long-lasting impression for Mr. Corneo, and she needed to be the best girl of the night. 

Tifa looked at a navy blue box that sat on her desk, and slowly walked over in her dark blue heels before picking it up and opening it. Nestled on a blue velvet cushion was a single earring. A crescent moon charm that glittered softly in the dim lighting of her apartment. 

Earlier that day, Cloud had received this charm from Marle after they replaced the filters. He seemed puzzled by it, and instead, gifted it to Tifa.

_“I think you’d look better with it than me,”_ _Cloud said with a nod._ _“She said there was something special about it.”_

_ “Oh! OK,” Tifa said with a blush. “I’ll keep it then. I’m not sure what she meant by that...but Marle is always going on about hanging onto this. So, it must be pretty big if she was willing to hand it off to you.” _

_ There was a silence that hung between them both as they walked toward Seventh Heaven. Before entering, he placed a gentle hand on Tifa’s shoulder, causing her to look at him.  _

_ “I think...it suits you,” Cloud said hesitantly. They both chuckled softly. “Maybe...wear it with the outfit?” _

_ “Maybe,” Tifa responded sheepishly. “Who knows?” _

Tifa picked up the crescent charm and then clicked the earring into place on her left ear. Once secured, Tifa tousled her hair and teased the front bangs to make it effortlessly messy. She didn’t want to leave anything to chance. She needed to proceed forward with her mission, and the safety of the rest of the group depended on it. 

Suddenly, Tifa heard a soft wark of a chocobo, signaling that her ride had arrived. She breathed in deep and then walked out of her apartment, locking the door behind her. She looked around at her home that she had built and sighed. For Gaia’s sake, she hoped that maybe Barret was right, and that this was not really that big of a deal. 

Deep down in her heart, Tifa felt something foreboding about the arrangement and about what she was going to do once she made it to the Corneo Mansion. She heard horror stories of what happened to the innocent women who were brought to the mansion to satisfy the man’s constant need for the opposite sex. 

Tifa knew that she was going to be one of them, but hopefully, her sacrifice would mean that she’ll be able to protect the ones that she loves in Sector 7. 

The young woman walked down the steps and found the carriage waiting for her out front. Tifa allowed the driver to help her on board before she took a seat on one of the side benches. Once settled, the driver took the reins, and the carriage wheels began to roll forward, leaving Tifa alone to collect her nerves and thoughts. 

With the soft creaking of the carriage wheels and the chocobo warbling, the bar manager watched as the carriage slowly rolled past Seventh Heaven. Tifa watched it sadly as the building became smaller and smaller until it was too far away. 

_ “I’m sorry,”  _ Tifa thought to herself.  _ “I just don’t want anymore people to get hurt or worse. Especially if I’m one of the reasons why they lost someone they loved.” _

The woman brought her hands to her chest as if she was trying to withhold all the love and pain her heart was carrying. It was a huge burden for Tifa to carry, but she did feel remorse. She did feel the ache at the thought of someone crying over loss...she herself had so many losses in her young life and she never thought taking another life as just a natural side consequence was ever justice. 

_ “I wonder if Cloud’s OK,”  _ Tifa asked herself.  _ “I know he’s alive still. He’s just got to be.” _

“Not that I’m allowed to play favorites,” the carriage drive suddenly said, breaking Tifa out of her thoughts. “But, my boss has been doing this for so many years...and you fit the bill of everything the Don wants out of a woman.”

“Er...thanks?” 

“No problem,” He said over the creaking of the carriage wheels. “But, it shouldn’t take us too long to get to Wall Market, so I’d relax as much as I can if I were you.”

The driver then craned his neck to stare back at Tifa. 

“I know the Don loves his women, and this is none of my business...but why is it that a pretty girl like you wants anything to do with a guy like him?” 

Tifa bit her lip. The carriage driver was attempting to get some more information about her motives, and she couldn’t afford to lose character right now. Not when she needed what she was going to the mansion for. So, she instead batted her eyelashes and flipped her long hair over one shoulder. 

“I heard Mr. Corneo is quite the lover,” Tifa said in an attempt to sound seductive. She slightly winced at the sound of her voice. This was the exact opposite of how she’d normally behave, but in order to get close to Corneo, she’d need to play the part convincingly. “I wanted to see if it was true.”

It didn’t seem to matter what Tifa sounded like, the carriage driver seemed satisfied with her generic answer and kept his face forward. 

“Well, I think you won’t be disappointed,” the driver said as he handled the reins. “You definitely got the full package.”

Tifa nodded and kept to herself. She didn’t really care much about Don Corneo and whatever his goons might attempt to do to her. She felt that she had enough strength and ability to keep the guys all in check. Still...she had kept herself out of those situations, especially hearing about the horror stories of what happened to the women who were rejected by Corneo. 

Soon, the carriage rolled to a stop at the gates leading into Sector 6. Tifa felt anxiety bubbling beneath her cool exterior. She didn’t want to show that she was afraid of the unknown, but she also didn’t want to fail her mission. Lives depended on her being successful in getting Corneo to sing. 

The driver reached over and punched in a key code to open the heavy metal gates that separated Sector 7 from Sector 6. With a small  _ ping  _ the gates slowly pulled themselves apart. The chocobo proudly pranced through, causing the carriage to jostle suddenly. 

_ “I wish you were here, Cloud _ ,” Tifa thought to herself.  _ “I wish you were here to---” _

“Tifa?!” A man’s voice called out her name. 

She turned to the source, and was amazed to see Cloud walking straight up to the carriage. Tifa gasped at the sight. There he was. Cloud Strife was alive, and he looked healthy and unbothered by the face that they had been separated by the explosion earlier that morning. 

“Cloud!” She exclaimed in a hushed tone. “You’re alive! I thought we lost you.”

Tifa crawled onto her knees to get to Cloud’s level, who hopped onto the back of the carriage railing, holding onto it with one of his hands. 

“What’s going on?” He asked. 

“Shh…” Tifa lifted a finger to her glossy lips and turned to make sure that the driver wasn’t aware of the hitchhiker he picked up. Pleased that the driver was unaware, she returned her full attention to the young man in front of her. “There’s no time to explain, but now I’m going to see Don Corneo. You should get out of here and meet up with the rest of the gang.”

“But,” Cloud started, but Tifa was quick to interrupt. 

“I’ll be fine,” she said with a smile. “You’ve seen how much ass I can kick.”

Cloud seemed to ponder this and then replied, “I have.”

Tifa smiled reassuringly at Cloud, but inside her heart was aching at the thought that it’s possible that she might never see daylight again if Corneo takes a liking to her. Including, seeing Cloud again. 

“Take care, Cloud,” Tifa whispered, giving one last longing gaze toward the mercenary, who seemed to return it with a conflicted stare of his own. 

He nodded to Tifa and hopped off the railing, leaving Tifa to resettle herself on the carriage bench, letting the chocobo carriage continue to roll forward and carry her further away from the man she was learning to fall in love with all over again. 

* * *

They soon arrived at Wall Market. Tifa gaped at the bright fluorescent lights and the extravagance of how people dressed here. It was different from the topside, but it was far more vivid than life in the slums. The driver pulled out front of a chocobo stable, where a burly man stepped out in a similar outfit as the driver. 

“Hey Chocobo Sam!” The driver shouted. “Got another one for Corneo.”

The man called Chocobo Sam peered into the carriage compartment where Tifa was, and nodded. 

“She’s a beaut,” the man whistled. “If Corneo doesn’t want her, maybe send this bombshell back here.”

Tifa flushed red in anger. She hated being gawked at, and so far, she wasn’t impressed by the people who had constantly raved about her physical appearance. 

“Anyways, take her to the Honeybee Inn,” Chocobo Sam said, waving one of his hands. “I don’t think she’ll have much trouble getting a spot for tonight.”

The driver nodded in compliance and whipped back the reins to have the chocobo wark and move forward in a quick trot. Tifa gripped the edge of the bench, gritting her teeth. She was ready to hop off the carriage, but she knew that she had to bite her tongue and not appear too suspicious to anyone with connections to Don Corneo. 

_ “I have to get into that audition,”  _ Tifa thought.  _ “I just have to.” _

Several long minutes later, the carriage pulled through the streets of Wall Market. It seemed like one never-ending party with confetti fluttering from the skies like snow, and the koi ponds brimming with exotic fish splashing about. There were delicious smells wafting from the street vendors selling food, sending a grumble in Tifa’s stomach. 

Some of the young women were eyeing Tifa enviously, as if they knew where she was headed. Tifa didn’t really want to be in this position, so she could hardly understand the desire. 

The carriage pulled in front of the Honeybee Inn, and Tifa carefully hopped down. The driver tipped his hat toward her, and then directed the chocobo to move onward. She watched the carriage grow smaller and smaller into the distance, causing her to sigh wearily at the task in front of her. 

Wall Market was a lawless paradise for criminals and those looking to make a wealthy living without the confines of order. It wasn’t really a place one should walk alone, but luckily, Tifa was able to just walk straight into the Honeybee Inn for whatever she needed to do in order to gain an audience with Corneo. 

Inside the lobby of the Honeybee Inn, men cast a longing gaze at Tifa and her revealing outfit. They seemed to have a lot of thoughts on her ensemble, causing Tifa to stare down at her blue heels. She tried to ignore the attention, and waited for someone to escort her to whoever was running the auditions. 

“Ah...so you’re the new girl?” An alluring feminine voice called out to Tifa. 

She lifted her head and saw a woman in a long kimono-like robe walking toward her with a gold embellished fan waving in the air. The robe slung off one of her shoulders to reveal porcelain like flesh and her ebony hair was done up in an elegant updo. 

Tifa herself was caught off-guard by the sight, blushing a little as the woman made her way toward Tifa. She walked around the young woman, examining every little detail of her outfit. The woman seemed pleased enough, noting “ _ ample cleavage and long legs” _ as she didn’t leave one thing out of her critique. 

“You’ll do just fine,” the woman said, closing her fan with a flourish. “Now, follow me.” She motioned to the back room with her head, signaling to Tifa not to linger too long in the lobby of the Honeybee Inn. 

Tifa followed her, the sounds of her blue heels clicked against the hard tiling of the lobby. It seemed much too loud, drawing eyes from every person in the lobby. 

_ “That must be one of Corneo’s new girls,”  _ A man whispered. 

_ “She’s gorgeous,” _ Another said. 

One of the Honeybee dancers cast an appreciative look at Tifa, who then blushed at the amount of attention she was receiving from everyone in the establishment. For someone who didn’t like being in the spotlight, Tifa felt a sudden flare of self-gratification that she managed to look the part. 

She walked in suit of the woman in the kimono who silently motioned for Tifa to enter one of the many side rooms toward the back. Tifa felt apprehensive at this, but knew that there would be no harm inflicted onto her...for now.

Tifa looked inside and noted that it smelled of aromatic oils and perfume, and the lights were dimmed. There was a small trickling sound of a stone fountain that was meant to relax any patron who took in the services of the hand massage parlor. 

There in the back, Tifa saw, was a long black massage table. She wondered what other girls or men were subjected to on the tables when the woman clicked her tongue impatiently for Tifa to enter. She jumped and entered quickly, not wanting to enrage the woman. 

Once the door was closed, the woman circled Tifa like a shark with its prey. She was gorgeous, and Tifa couldn’t help but feel heat rise to her face as the woman continued to examine every little detail of the 20-year-old. 

“My name is Madam M,” the woman said with a slight allure in her voice. “I’m one of the Trio who will determine whether you’ll be fortunate enough to receive an audience with Mr. Corneo. And...your name?”

“Tifa,” Tifa responded. She quickly added, “My name’s Tifa Lockhart.”

Madam M’s brown eyes suddenly flickered mischievously. 

“Ahh...I heard about you,” she said, causing Tifa to feel herself cease in nervousness. “You’re the owner of Seventh Heaven in Sector 7, correct?”

“Yes,” Tifa said honestly, figuring it’d be in her best interest not to lie to Madam M. The woman seemed dangerously beautiful like a black widow. Graceful, but poised to kill at any second at any fool who would find themselves in her trap. “I’ve been the owner for five years.”

“Young and a business woman,” Madam M noted almost appreciatively. “Smart and graceful.”

She suddenly took one of Tifa’s hands and looked at them. 

“These are the hands of a fighter,” she said, examining them. “Deceptively small and feminine, but poised and lethal if needed to be. What a gift…”

Madam M then ordered Tifa to lay down on one of the massage tables in the room. She slowly lowered herself onto it, breathing in the sweet perfume as Madam M drew the black velvet curtains around them, enclosing them in a cocoon of sorts.

There was a soft clicking of Madam M’s wooden shoes as she shuffled over to Tifa, who felt completely vulnerable.

“Before we begin, I wanted to let you know that we have a range of services available to our most diverse clients,” Madam M said. “Normally, we have patrons pay up to 3,000 gil for one of my hand massages...but for you...no charge.”

Tifa’s ruby eyes widened in surprise.  _ 3,000 gil? Holy crap.  _

“Um...thank you,” she said as Madam M took a hold of one of her hands. Madam M gently pressed a pressure point, causing Tifa to feel a sudden surge of pain, and then it quickly transformed into a jolt of...pleasure. 

The young woman let out of a sudden soft moan at this, causing Madam M to smile discreetly. 

“Like it?” she asked Tifa, who was becoming more and more aware at why the luxury service cost so much more. “A simple touch is all you need to become...undone.”

Madam M continued to massage Tifa’s hands, who was melting away into a puddle. The sensations that the young woman was feeling caused her to sweat. 

“No, don’t fight it,” Madam M said in a sickeningly sweet tone, giggling coyly. “My customers always either feel pain...or pleasure. I can see that you work so hard...you must let me take away that tension from your lovely hands…”

Tifa felt herself progressively get sleepier and sleepier as Madam M massaged both of her hands. It had to be criminal to feel this good, and the young bar manager felt herself slipping away into bliss as Madam M silently started massaging further up Tifa’s forearms. 

Through the haze, Tifa became aware that Madam M was loosening the straps of her halter dress and started massaging her shoulders. 

“Mmm...what are you doing?” she asked through the haze. “I thought this was just a hand massage.”

“Oh...the luxury service has much more to offer than just the hands,” Madam M said. “Let me show you. You’ve got so much tension in your shoulders.”

If anyone was standing right outside of the door, they’d hear the muffled moans of pleasure erupting from Tifa. But those types of noises were normal at the Honeybee Inn, especially when Madam M was involved. 

* * *

It’d be an hour later when Madam M drew back the curtains, revealing a glowing Tifa as she hopped off from the table. She examined her hands as if they were exquisite pieces of art. 

“Like it?” Madam M purred, causing Tifa to blush even redder. “Think you’d make a habit of it?”

Tifa nodded slowly, unable to speak. She didn’t want to revisit what just happened inside of the hand massage parlor. It was one of the most secretive experiences she had as a young woman, and she didn’t feel like diving too deep into the details. 

“Great,” Madam M said. “I must say though...this dress.”

She gently lifted up the hem of Tifa’s dress with her fan, and tsked. 

“It’s lovely for a night out, but for Mr. Corneo? You need to stand out even more, my dear,” Madam M said. She then clapped her hands together. “There’s a dress that I’d like you to wear, but first, let’s speak to Andrea Rhodea.”

Tifa cocked her head to the side. “Who’s Andrea Rhodea?’

“Only the most elegant dancer of the Honeybee Inn,” Madam M said with a twinkle in her voice. “He’s also a fabulous dresser. He’ll know how to elevate your outfit and make you the standout in your audition.”

The young woman followed Madam M to the further backroom and saw one with the sign “Dressing Room” in glitzy letters. Young Honeybee dancers came waltzing out, dancing to the rhythm and acknowledged Madam M. 

“Madam M!” One dancer exclaimed. “Fancy seeing you back here. I’m assuming she’s here for an audition?” The dancer nodded to Tifa, who Madam M confirmed with a slight nod in return. 

“Yes, she’s one of Corneo’s girls,” Madam M said. “Is Mr. Rhodea back there?”

“I can take her to him,” one dancer said enthusiastically. 

“Then, I guess this means our paths are diverged,” Madam M said. She bowed to Tifa, who awkwardly reciprocated. “Do come again...under other pretenses.”

Madam M shuffled away while Tifa followed the young dancer into the back room. It was mass chaos. Costumes were strewn across the floor, dancers arguing over make-up supplies and there, sitting at one of the lit vanities was an attractive young man. 

Tifa noticed how sculpted he was, indicating years of dancing that built up his physique. She suddenly became self-aware and Tifa tried to hide, but instead, drew the man’s attention. 

“You’re here for Don Corneo’s audition, aren’t you darling?” He asked in a smooth tone. 

“Yes.”

“Come here,” he said, motioning her over with a “come hither.”

Tifa walked over, and the man stood up, and with his impressive persona walked around Tifa, examining her. She was starting to grow annoyed with this, as she had already been critiqued by Madam M and the chocobo driver previously. 

“I know honey, this is all part of the procedure,” the man said, as if reading Tifa’s thoughts. “I don’t blame you for being disgusted. I am too.”

“Then why be a part of it?” Tifa asked curiously. “If you hate it so much?”

The man twirled around on his heels and struck a pose. 

“Without the Honeybee Inn, I’d be living on the streets,” he said honestly. “Without the center stage, I’d have no place to make a living, and you know how people can be toward people like myself.”

Tifa shrugged at this, but knew that the man had a point. There weren’t too many places that allowed people like this one to be expressive where gender doesn’t have to conform to norms set by society as rigid as the one she grew up, 

“The name’s Andrea Rhodea,” the man said. “I’m one of the Trio who gets to decide if you’re to gain favor with Mr. Corneo up at the mansion. One of many who walked through those doors, and never return.”

He looked sad for one second before switching off his emotions. Tifa couldn’t help but like Andrea for his outwardness and his difference. He had an appealing personality that reeked of self-confidence that Tifa desperately wished she had when it came to being sexy. 

“Anyways, Madam M says you’re quite beautiful,” Andrea said. “I must agree. But, that dress won’t do if you want to impress Mr. Corneo. It's a typical flair here in Wall Market.”

“But this was all I ha--” Tifa started. 

“Not tonight,” Andrea said before clapping his hands together. Two Honeybee girls came running forward with an elegant number. It was a sleeveless white dress that faded into a blue as dark as the evening sky toward the skirted bottom in an ombre. The bodice glittered like stars with diamonds sewn into the fabric. 

Tifa suddenly felt a tugging on her hair, and found that one of Andrea’s background dancers was curling the ends of her hair with a curling iron, turning her straight hair into cascading loose waves. They quickly did this, then pulled the waves up on one side, held there by a diamond studded hairpin that took the shape of stars. 

“Hold still,” one man said. He gently touched up Tifa’s eye make-up and made it even smokier with dark brown eyeshadow before painting her pink lips over with some glass-like gloss. “Yes, darling. Yes!”

Another staff member strapped nude heels onto Tifa’s feet, with ribbons laced up into bows around her calves. Tifa kept blushing as more people came forward at Andrea’s instruction. She was not used to being pampered in such a manner. 

She felt the cool, gauzy-like gown slip-over her head and someone zipped up the back. The skirt was a high-low style, with the front shorter than the back that flowed elegantly into a slight train. Tifa looked upward toward the ceiling as someone applied a thick layer of mascara onto her long lashes. 

Andrea walked forward and was about to remove the crescent charm off of Tifa’s ear, but then decided against it. 

Tifa seemed puzzled by this move, but he shook his head. 

“My dear, this charm is imbued with magic...a fervent desire to be by one’s side for all of eternity,” Rhodea said. “I’m guessing whoever this came from meant a great deal to you.”

Tifa turned her head slightly to look at Andrea. There was no look of cheekiness coming from him, rather it was replaced with a serious gaze. 

“Why are you meeting, Mr. Corneo?” He asked seriously. 

“I-I need to meet him,” Tifa said quietly. “I have people I love that I need to protect.”

She wondered if maybe she shouldn’t have divulged such an innate desire, but she knew that Andrea was different from the rest of the Trio that she had encountered. He didn’t question her any further. 

“I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into,” Andrea said coolly. “The women who get chosen as Mr. Corneo’s bride rarely ever leaves the mansion...and I’m sure you’ve heard the stories?”

“Yes,” Tifa said with a nod. “But, the people I have are worth the risk.”

Andrea seemed satisfied with Tifa’s answer. He clapped his hands together again, and revealed the mirror behind him. Tifa almost gasped at the sight. 

Her reflection revealed the ensemble that the group put together. She no longer looked like the bar manager from the slums. Rather, she looked like an ethereal moon fairy. Her outfit flared perfectly outward and her ruby eyes were enhanced by the smoky brown make up. 

Tifa’s hair was in loose waves, reminiscent of the old movie stars from back in the day. She noted the sparkling embellishments on her gown as well as her hair jewels that sparkled like the night sky. Tifa was reminded of how she and Cloud made that childhood promise underneath the heavens, and that memory sparked bravery deep inside of her. There was no need to fear...she knew that Cloud believed in her, and that should be more than enough. 

“I’m…” 

“Gorgeous,” a dancer said in the background. 

“Mr. Corneo will eat his heart out,” Andrea said encouragingly. He patted Tifa’s shoulder and called over one of the dancers. “Call for the carriage to come and collect Ms. Lockhart.”

At this request, Andrea’s eyes looked fearful for a brief second. 

“I hope...all works out for you,” he said. 

“I hope so too.”

* * *

Tifa was picked up by the chocobo driver once more, who gawked at her new outfit and whistled loudly. She resisted the urge to punch him, but kept to herself. She felt more like a jeweled swan, but she wished that there was another occasion she’d be dressed up for than this. 

“What did they do to you there?” The driver asked. “You looked great before, but now...wow.”

“They thought I needed something more impressive for Mr. Corneo,” Tifa responded. “I just let them have a whirl at getting me ready for the audition.”

“You’ll knock it out of the park!” He replied with eagerness. “Trust me. Corneo will be beyond impressed.”

After several twisted turns throughout Wall Market, Tifa was dropped off in front of Corneo’s mansion, where three men stood guard. Two of them gawked at Tifa, whistling at her appearance. The one standing dead center with short silver hair seemed less than thrilled. 

“I see you’re here for the audition?” He asked Tifa. 

“Seems like it,” she responded rather coldly. “There’s no other reason why I’d be here.”

The young man sighed. He turned to the other two men standing on either side of him. 

“Take her in,” he said coolly. “Make sure she’s...settled.”

The big ornate doors to Corneo Mansion opened, allowing Tifa to slowly step inside. The staff inside looked at Tifa appreciatively before the desk receptionist walked toward her. 

“Ms...Lockhart?”

“Yes?”

“Ah, you’re right on time,” he said. “We received correspondence with Madam M and Mr. Rhodea. You met all their qualifications for the audition. Please, upstairs to the left. Your room is there and you can wait until the other two candidates come.”

Tifa was bewildered by this. Probably catching her confusion, the receptionist shook his head apologetically. 

“I’m sorry, you probably didn’t know,” he said. “Mr. Corneo usually picks his bride from three candidates for an evening with him. It’s to usually pick the best of the best.”

“What happens to the other two women?” Tifa asked slowly. “Do they walk free?”

“Not exactly,” the receptionist said, clearly growing uncomfortable with Tifa’s suspicious tone. “They will get a nice....consolation if they’re not chosen.”

“I see.”

The receptionist motioned upstairs again, and this time, Tifa followed slowly. Her heels clicked against the tiled floors, prompting scores of Corneo’s goons to pop their heads out of their rooms, wolf-whistling at their new prey. 

She ignored their cat calls as she ascended up the stairs like an angel. The door to the waiting room was left ajar, and Tifa walked into it. 

It seemed a little odd to be designated as a waiting room. The furniture was covered in cloth, and there were piles of boxes scattered about the room. Tifa examined it all, and then noticed a sickeningly sweet smell being funneled into the room. 

“Gas!” Tifa shouted to herself. 

She quickly ran to the doors, only to have found them locked shut. Tifa started gasping for air, and coughed as she helplessly continued to inhale the sweet gas. It was making her woozy, and her world started spinning. She gripped the counter of a desk tightly. 

Suddenly, two of Corneo’s men burst through the doors. They grinned hungrily at Tifa who was struggling to stand. 

“Man, she’s hot,” one of the men said, licking his lips. “I hope Corneo doesn’t choose her. I love his leftovers.”

Tifa attempted to swing a punch at him, but instead, she fell forward against his chest, who wrapped his hands around her shoulders. 

“Oh, c’mon Scottie,” he pleaded to his fellow comrade. “Let me have my way with her. The Don doesn’t need to know!”

“You know how he feels about leaving them pure,” Scottie responded grimly. “He wants them nice and tight...if ya know what I mean?”

Tifa growled at this, but she felt helpless. She wasn’t able to fight in this condition. Her eyes grew heavy as they carried her bridal style. The dizziness wasn’t changing at all, and Tifa knew that her time was coming soon until she meets the other two sorry candidates for the “audition.”

“You promised…” Tifa murmured to no one in particular, as she was being carried away. “You promised that if I were ever in a pinch that you’d come and save me.”

“Aw, babe I promise I’ll rescue you for the night if Corneo doesn’t want you,” the man said grinning. “You know...I’d love to settle myself down in between your---.’

“Yo!”

“Sorry,” the man said. “Couldn’t help myself.”

He deposited Tifa on the stone floor of the basement of Corneo’s Mansion. They locked the door behind them, leaving Tifa to recuperate from the sudden intoxication of gas. 

“Cloud...help,” she whispered.

* * *

Tifa woke up to find herself still in the basement. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed from when she was brought down into the cellar. There were various torturous looking devices hanging from the ceilings, causing her to cringe at the thought of what they were used for. 

_ “What a depraved bastard,” _ Tifa thought to herself. She cautiously touched one of the devices, which clanked against chains that hoisted it up.  _ “I feel so bad for--” _

“Incoming!”

Two more of Corneo’s goons walked down the steps, tossing two women onto the ground. Tifa grew sympathetic at the sight, noting that one was wearing a lavish red gown and the other in a black and blue victorian-styled dress with blonde plaited hair. 

They were unconscious, seemingly fallen victim to the sweet gas that Tifa had inhaled long before. Tifa decided to check in on the blonde first. She knelt down to the woman and used a soft voice to stir her awake. 

“Hey…” Tifa gently nudged the woman. “Can you hear me?”

The woman groaned. Her eyes were a startling shade of blue that pierced Tifa’s soul. Suddenly, the woman sat herself upright, causing Tifa to fall backward onto her knees. 

“Tifa?!” The woman said in a surprisingly low voice. 

“Y-yes?” Tifa responded, wondering how the woman knew who she was. 

“You OK?” The woman asked again, her voice even huskier. Tifa was a bit confused, but felt the need to respond. 

“Mhm.” 

The woman sighed. “Good.”

Tifa grew suspicious as to how the woman knew her name. Then, again, there was something strangely familiar about the person sitting in this dress in front of her. The woman had blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and a rather bulky figure…

“Wait a minute…” Tifa said while closely examining the woman. She then suddenly gasped. “Cloud?! Is that you?!”

Cloud looked at Tifa, slightly embarrassed by his predicament. There the mercenary sat with eye-lined eyes and a black and blue dress that fit him perfectly. 

“Oh my god that make-up!” She exclaimed. “And that dress!”

“Nailed it. I know. Thank you. Moving on,” Cloud said in rapid succession. The woman in the long red formal dress groaned and slowly rose to her feet. Cloud rushed over to her side and assisted her. 

“You OK?”

“Yeah, a bit woozy, but I’ll manage,” the woman with long light brown hair responded. Her emerald green eyes found Tifa’s ruby ones and she smiled brightly. Then, she jostled right over to her. “Hey Tifa, how ya doing?”

“OK…” Tifa said a little apprehensively. 

“Oh right. I’m Aerith,” the woman said, nodding over to Cloud. “A friend of Cloud’s. We were worried and thought we’d come help you out.”

“Uh...Thanks?” Tifa said, slightly cocking her head off to the side. 

“Never mind all of that, we need to get out of here, now!” Cloud said sternly.

Tifa suddenly knew why Cloud was here and she panicked. 

“No!” She said. Tifa walked in front of Cloud’s path, disrupting his movement. “Not until I get what I came here for.”

“What?” Cloud said. 

“After we made it back to the slums, some guys came around asking all kinds of questions,” Tifa started. “So, I did some digging.”

“And you found out they were Corneo’s men,” Cloud said, filling in the blanks.

“Right, they were interested in Avalanche,” Tifa affirmed. “But, I couldn’t figure out why. So, I thought I’d come ask the man himself.”

Upon hearing this, Cloud rolled his eyes in disbelief. 

“Seriously?” He said in an annoyed tone, as if he was scolding a child for doing something dangerous. 

“I thought I could get some one-on-one time,” Tifa said, ignoring Cloud’s criticism. “But, there’s a problem. I’d only be one of three candidates. If that he didn’t pick me, it’d all be for nothing.”

There was a sound of someone clearing their throat, causing Cloud and Tifa to turn toward the source. Aerith, in her red gown, was smiling. 

“Well, then your worries are over, aren’t they?” Aerith jostled over to Cloud’s side. “‘Cause your three candidates are right here. Right?” The flower girl turned to face Cloud out of expectation, he seemed annoyed and nodded. 

“Right,” he said rather flatly. 

“I guess so…”Tifa said, hesitating at this suggestion.

“You, me, Cloud, makes no difference who gets chosen, does it?” Aerith said cheerfully. Tifa felt a sudden pang of guilt at the thought of including a complete stranger in their plot. 

“I don’t know Aerith, it feels wrong to get you involved in this,” Tifa said carefully. 

“Don’t bother trying to talk her out of it,” Cloud said, rolling his eyes again. 

“Aww, Cloud gets me!” Aerith said in a sing-song voice. “Took you long enough!” She playfully slapped Cloud on the shoulder, who continued to look sour from the prospect of intentionally putting themselves into a precarious situation. 

Tifa looked between Cloud and Aerith, intrigued by the prospect. She wondered how much they could actually trust Aerith, but there was something warm behind her green eyes that Tifa couldn’t help but feel safe and assured. 

As Cloud walked around, all prim and proper to Tifa’s amusement, she saw him eyeing her. 

“Well?” Tifa asked, twirling once around for him. 

He didn’t seem to say a whole lot, but there was something in his eyes that looked different than how the others gazed at her. There was a shyness to it, but also one of with a hint of a smile behind the blue mako-infused eyes.

“Hurry up, ladies!” A voice shouted down in the basement. “Head upstairs and line up for the Don!”

Tifa nodded to her comrades, and the three headed upstairs to continue their date with high risk...little did Don Corneo know that they had the upper hand. 


End file.
